Misty Lane and Joseph O'Brien© Photo Healy Racing
Champion jockey Joseph O'Brien opened his 2014 account when leading for most of the way on Reggie Roberts' mare Misty Lane in the Dundalk Stadium Light Up Your Night Handicap on the all-weather track.
Wearing an eyeshield for the first time, the well-supported six-year-old (4-1) shrugged off the challenge of favourite Captains Dilemma and then dug deep to hold Cluin Aine by a length.
O'Brien took the jockeys' title last year with a record tally of 126, eclipsing the long-standing mark set by Mick Kinane.
Eddie Lynam looked to have found a nice opportunity for Not Your Call to get his head in front in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Race & Stay Maiden and the three-year-old obliged in effortless style.
With three decent runs under his belt at the back-end of last year, the experienced gelding was sent off the 4-5 favourite and always travelled well in the hands of Wayne Lordan before quickening past O'Brien on Lone Star to win by a length and three-quarters.
The jockey doubled up when charging late down the outer on Willie McCreery's Tetard (25-1) to take the Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap by a nose in a thrilling three-way finish.< Deep Speed broke his maiden on the all-weather track in December and running off the same official mark in the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap, he spreadeagled the opposition.
The Paul Hickey-trained four-year-old (7-2 joint-favourite) was always up with the pace and after leading into the straight, cleared away under Conor Hoban to score by seven and a half lengths.
Gary Phillips produced Catwilldo down the outside in the Winter Series At Dundalk Handicap and Garvan Donnelly's 9-1 shot got up to beat Strategic Heights by half a length, winning for the first time in 15 attempts.
Colin Keane led just about all the way on Maontri in the Floodlit Friday Nights Rated Race and Matty Tynan's 2-1 favourite was chased by Califante before running on strongly to beat that rival by two lengths.
